Court of Serious Crimes Blocks Tahiri’s Passport

The Court of Serious Crimes has decided to block the passport and identity card of former Minister of Interior Affairs Saimir Tahiri and ordered his to report weekly to the Prosecution of Serious Crimes.

The Court decided on these new security measures after the Prosecution had presented new evidence from wiretaps of 25-year-old businessman Orest Sota in conversation with Tahiri’s wife.

Sota is currently in jail after €863,000 in cash and two boating licenses of Tahiri were found in his car during a routine control of the Traffic Police in Elbasan. During his arrest Sota claimed the money belonged to Tahiri.

Tahiri, whose immunity was only partially lifted by Parliament, is under investigation for passive corruption and narcotics trafficking in collaboration with a criminal organization run by the Habilaj brothers, who are his cousins.

Three police chiefs implicated in the same affair remain at large.